WILKES-BARRE, Penn. (Oct. 5, 2024) – The Wilkes University men's tennis team won its season-opening match as it defeated Rutgers University-Camden, 5-2, here Saturday.
 
The loss drops the Scarlet Raptors to 2-3.
 
Wilkes won the first and second doubles matches to take the one point for doubles play. Rutgers-Camden won at third doubles, 6-2, behind the combination of freshmen Neal Shah and Alex Turcu. The Raptors lost at first doubles, 7-6 (7-5) with the combination of graduate students Alex Loope and Kenil Patwa. They lost, 6-4, at second doubles behind sophomores John Brady and Julian Pinder.
 
Rutgers-Camden won its lone singles matches at the third spot, where Shah captured a 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 10-8 win, and sixth singles, with Turcu winning, 6-1, 6-0.
 
At first singles, Loope was trailing, 3-2, when he was forced to retire. Patwa lost at second singles, 6-4, 6-1, Brady was defeated, 6-4, 6-3, at fourth singles and Pinder lost at the fifth spot, 6-0, 6-1.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Saturday, Oct. 12, with a 12 p.m. match at York College of Pennsylvania.